Rolling-type marking machine

ABSTRACT

A frame is set on a roll-line on which the material to be marked is transported; a marking machine is mounted on a beam of said frame; said machine rapidly and automatically selects position of setting mark or selects type at each marking time, arranging in a straight line on the marking roll the marking punch for the numbers, letters, figures, etc. to be marked. When the material is transported on said roll line, the marking roll comes down while rolling on said material as being transported and completes marking without any obstacles such as stop of the transportation of the material or reduction of the velocity thereof; after finishing marking, the marking roll automatically returns to the original position on the frame. Automatic marking can thus be effected on the material as being transported.

United States Patent 1191 Murata et al.

14 1 Aug. 12, 1975 ROLLING-TYPE MARKING MACHINE 3,427,96l 2/l969 Eggeringhaus l/76 1 1 Yrwji Musaw, Tokai,Kun1aki s 2:23:23? 3133; 331????1::iiiii..............iiiji"i6#524 Miyazu; SIgeru Yone lma, Tokal, all of Japan Primary Examiner.l. Reed Fisher [73] Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation, Tokyo, Assistant EXaml'I1erEdWafd Coven Japan Attorney, Agenl, or F irm-Watson Leavenworth Kelton & Taggart [22] Filed: June 26, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 373,784 [57] ABSTRACT A frame is set on a roll-line on which the material to Foreign Application p i i Data be marked is transported; a marking machine is July 3 1972 Japan 47-66461 fmumed a of Said fram? Said machine July 1972 Japan l l l I l l 47 7O219 idly and automatically selects pos1t 1on of setting mark Dec 1972 Japan 47 147555 or selects type at each marking tlme, arrangmg in a straight line on the marking roll the marking punch for 52 U.S. c1. 101/110- 101/35- 101/91 the figures i be marked when [51] Int. Cl. Bl1J 1/32 F material 18 transporte,d on S.ald the mark 58 Field of Search 101 /18 21-22 comes down whle mnmg as lOl/29 37 44 91 95 99 76 6 being transported and completes marking without any obstacles such as stop of the transportation of the ma [5 6] References Cited terial or reduction of the velocity thereof; after finishing marking, the marking roll automatically returns to UNITED STATES PATENTS the original position on the frame. Automatic marking 2,878,0l4 12/1957 Jacquast l0l/29 X can thus be effected on the material as being trans 2,966,843 1 1961 Eckley 101 ported 3,327,624 6/1967 Beaver lOl/35 3,363,547 l/1968 Thut et al. 101/20 x 6 Cla ms, 3 rawing F gur s 52 l I I 46 2 44 4 4 47 a 1" l-'-'-" P-1-1r -L- PATENTEDAUE 1 2l975 3 898,927

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ROLLING-TYPE MARKING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a rolling-type marking machine and a method for automatically marking a traveling material by the use of said machine.

Marking machines which heretofore have been used generally are of such structure that a plurality of punches are manually set on the marking part so that said punches may strike vertically a predetermined position of the material by means of a hammer and the like.

Accordingly, such machines have disadvantages that the punches are apt to be worn out by vibration of the strike so rapidly that punch life will be shortened, and that the material is brought into slip contact with the punches which results in occurrence of the so-called marking slip. Moreover, the conventional machine needs a great deal of labor for type-selection, type setting of parts of punch or removal of the same and v marking. Also, since the material is marked under quiet conditions, the material such as steel sheets or plates ready for marking generally are stored in a yard, which gives rise to decrease in the utility of the space of such factory as inasmuch as the material or the marking machine must be carried to the storage place.

This invention overcomes the afore-said disadvantages which have been encountered in the conventional machine or method.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed to a rolling-type marking machine which comprises type-selecting ring gears, marking punches each having a curved surface as a marking surface which is smaller than that of said type selecting ring gears, a hole pierced from the outer periphery to the inner surface of each tooth of said gears for inserting said punches therein, a pin inserted through a bore pierced through each tooth and punch, a spindle or center shaft on which ring gears are fitted, the number of rings being equal to the number of the figures to be marked, a locking member adapted for travelling in and out along a groove in the center shaft in the direction of the axis of the outer surface of said center shaft and in a notched groove at the inner surface of each of said gears so as to set said ring gears rtatably and also to lock the same in alignment, a rotatable shaft extended eccentrically and outwardly from both sides of said center shaft so as to rotate eccentrically said center shaft. pinch rolls for grasping a group of said gears eccentrically whereby one row of the marking punches is projected from the circumferential surface, a one position clutch. brake mechanism, a driving machine and a control mechanism for stopping said rotatable shaft at a predetermined angle, a number of rack bars meshing with said group of gears to rotate the same individually, said number of rack bars being the same as that of said gears, rows of fluid cylinders provided on the opposite side of the stand common with said row of rack bars, the tip ends of said cylinders being connected to respective rack bars and capable of travelling in the forward or reversed direction and by the distance enough to rotate a gear or ring a predetermined number of teeth, a means to release and reset the engagement of said rack bars and the gears so as to shorten the length of the groups of said rack bars and said cylinder, and a means to detect erroneous operation by signalling the degree of movement of said rack bar as a number of pulses. The present invention also concerns an automatic control means to receive, as input, the characters. numbers, figures. etc. to be marked subsequently and operate the fluid cylinder to automatically select types for the row of the marking punch to be marked; a means to measure the thickness of the material plate being transported so as to detect the height of the marking surface to be marked whereby the height of the marking machine is automatically controlled; and a method for automatically marking the material by virtue of the operation of automatic control means wherein the circumference of the constant angle of the pinch roll, the distance between the position of the marking roll and that of a means to detect the time of pass of the tip end of the material and the distance between the tip end of the material and a plurality of marking positions are received as input.

1. The first feature of this invention is that a marking machine is provided with a rolling-type marking roll having a round bar center shaft piercing a plurality of type-selecting ring gears such ring gears being idly mounted on said center shaft, and a rotatable shaft eccentrically extended from both sides of said center shaft.

2. The second feature of this invention is that the marking machine according to the item 1 is provided with the rolling-type marking roll in which the rotatable shaft has pinch rolls for an assembly of said ring gears and only one row of marking punches thereof is projected from the peripheral surface of said pinch rolls.

3. The third feature of this invention is that in the marking machine according to the item I, the plurality of the ring gears pierced by the center shaft is composed of a plurality of ring gears of the same shape, and the marking punches are fixed on the tip of the teeth thereof.

4. The fourth feature of this invention is that in the marking machine according to the item 3, holes are provided through the teeth of said gears in the direction of the diameter thereof, and the marking punches are inserted through said holes such that the base ends thereof abut and rest upon the center shaft.

5. The fifth feature of this invention is that in the marking machine according to the item 4, bores are provided through the marking punches and the side wall of the teeth of said ring gears, through which pins are inserted to fix the marking punches.

6. The sixth feature of this invention is that in the marking machine according to the item 5, the marking surface on the rolling side of the marking punch is shaped such that it is a curved surface having a smaller radius than that of the rotatable roll which supports said punch.

7. The seventh feature of this invention is that in th marking machine according to the item 1, a groove is provided (in the axial direction) on the outer surface of said center shaft; two outer shoulders of a locking member which moves in and out of the groove at said outer surface of said center shaft along two side walls and the bottom wall of said groove are shaped so as to have slopes or oblique surfaces; and said oblique surfaces abut on two oblique surfaces of a groove provided on the inner circumferential surface of the ring gears so that said ring gears are locked and placed in alignment on the center shaft.

8. The eighth feature of this invention is that the marking machine according to the item 1 is provided with a primary one-position clutch idly fitted to said rotatable shaft and having teeth of a worm wheel on the outer circumferential surface, a secondary one-position clutch inserted through the spline of said rotatable shaft and capable of sliding only in the direction of the axis of said shaft, a worm meshing with said worm wheel for positioning said one-position clutch after rotation of a desired angle whereby the rotation of said clutch is locked, brake means to control the rotation of said rotatable shaft, control means to open or close the operation circuits for the primary one-position clutch and the brake means respectively, and a means to give instructions about the operation of said control means,

9. The ninth feature of this invention is that the marking machine according to the item 8 has, as the one position clutch, a disc clutch wherein at least one ring-like protrusion is provided on the opposite surface and in a part of said ring-like protrusion, a protrusion and a recess which are engaged with each other are provided in the primary side and the secondary side and also means is provided to resiliently push the primary side and the secondary side under pressure.

10. The tenth feature of this invention is that in the marking machine according to the item 3, a plurality of rack bars meshing with each type-selecting ring gear and slidably supported by a stand are provided so as to individually rotate the ring gears and arrange the marking punches to be used in a line of axial direction and means is provided to effect individual sliding movement of said rack bars.

1 l. The eleventh feature of this invention is that in the marking machine according to the item 10, control means is provided wherein each of said rack bars is connected to the extended end of a plurality of fluid cylinders connected in series, and the required number of cylinders are selected therefrom and caused to operate simultaneously.

l2. The twelfth feature of this invention is that the marking machine according to the item 10 is provided with rack bars each having teeth more than half of those of the type-selecting ring gear, means to cause or release the meshing of the type-selecting ring gears with the rack bars, movement means to allow said rack bars to move in forward and reverse directions, and automatic control means to give the movement means the instructions to arrange said rack bars in the position suitable for the next rotation of said ring gears.

13. The thirteenth feature of this invention is that in the marking machine according to the item 12, the base ends of the cylinders are fixed to a beam standing on the upper surface of the stand and are placed zigzag, each staggered by half the plane width, the ring gears are pierced by, and fitted around, the round bar center shaft arranged along the axial line of said beam below the stand, the row of the rack bars meshing with the row of said ring gears is mounted on a guide roller and supported by an arm, and the ends of the piston rods of said cylinders and the ends of said rack bars are connected by connecting means through said stand.

14. The forteenth feature of this invention is that in the marking machine according to the item 13, a plurality of dovetail grooves are provided on the common stand for said cylinders and said rack bars, protrusions are provided on each side of said connecting means,

and each said protrusion is adapted to be fitted into each said dovetail groove.

l5. The fifteenth feature of this invention is that in the marking machine according to the item 12, the type-selecting means which selects the characters and figures, etc. of the marking punches set on the teeth thereof meshing with the racks by the movement of the rack bars caused by the stroke of the cylinders, is provided with an automatic control means for the typeselecting means which comprises a preset storage part for marking a given preset value A from the next preset value C and storing the same with the preceding preset value B, a comparing arithmetic circuit which compares the present preset value A with the preceding preset value B so as to calculate the value by which the ring gear should be rotated to right or left within the range less than half of the number of the teeth and the direction in which the rack bar should be moved and reset by the distance corresponding to half of the number of the teeth of the ring gear and stores the same, an output circuit to convert the code into the normal figures and amplify the same for driving, driving means to open an instructed electromagnetic valve to move the cylinder so that the rack bar may be moved to right or left by the distance as instructed, and means for detecting any erroneous operation to compare the amount of movement of the rack bar sent from means for detecting the amount of the movement of the rack bar with the instruction figures sent from the comparing arithmetic circuit and give instructions about any appropriate action needed based upon the existence of any such erroneous operation.

16. The sixteenth feature of this invention is that any of the marking machines according to the items 2 to 15 is mounted on a beam of a frame set on the transportation line of the material to be marked; the marking punches to mark with are placed in a line with the selected types; when the material to be marked is transported on the line, the marking roll comes down toward the material according to the instruction of the control means and the pinch rolls are at first brought into contact with the surface of the material and caused to roll on it as the material proceeds; the center shaft piercing the ring gears and eccentrically connected to said pinch rolls is also caused to roll; the row of the marking punches set in a line reaches the lowest position, projecting beyond the plane of the pinch rolls and completes marking; when the material proceeds farther, the center shaft is also caused to roll farther so that the row of the marking punches is retracted inside the plane of the pinch rolls, ascending to the original position according to the instructions of the control means; the marking punches with the next types to be marked with are placed in a line for repeated operations; and thus the marking is effected without stopping the material.

17. The seventeenth feature of this invention is that in a method according to the item 16, there is provided an automatic control apparatus for determining the height of the marking machine comprising; means to detect height of the position of the marking machine, means to convert said height into signals, means to preset the thickness of the material plate to be marked, means to convert said thickness into signals, means to compare and calculate said two signals received as input and thereby give instructions about the next position of the marking machine, a control panel to control motor velocity. a motor for presetting the next position of the marking machine. and means to supply electric power or pressurized fluid to said motor.

18. The eighteenth feature of this invention is that in a method according to the item I6, there is provided an automatic control apparatus for the marking position comprising: means to generate a signal informing that the tip of the material has passed the area apart by a preset distance from the marking machine, means to generate pulse for each predetermined length of the circumference of the line roll as it rotates, control means to store a plurality of values obtained by subtracting half of the circumference of the pinch roll of the marking machine from the sum of said preset distance plus the distance between the tip of the material and the marking position, calculating the number of said pulses from the time when said signal is received to thereby give instructions about start of the marking machine at each said calculation, and a fluid cylinder to be started according to said instructions so as to push the pinch rolls to the surface of the material to be marked.

As set forth hereinabove, this invention has many advantages whereby automatic type-seleetion of the marking punches can be effected rapidly and accurately. Particularly, since the marking operation can be conducted automatically by means of rotation of the marking roll over the entire length of the material as being transported without stop of the travel thereof, the marking punches are not subjected to vibration shock, thus having a long life and there is no fear of markingslip occurring on the material. Moreover, since the type-selection and marking operation can be done automatically, a great deal of labor can be saved and the floor space for marking is not substantially required, which results in smaller factory space and yet more products shipped therefrom.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will appear more clearly from the fol lowing detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. I is a front elevational view. partly in section of a marking roll of a type with which the present invention is concerned.

FIG. 2 is a view on an enlarged scale of the marking roll shown in FIG. I, the pinch rolls of the marking roll being shown in contact with a plate to be marked.

FIG. 3 is a view of one of the ring gears embodied in the marking roll.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view as taken along the line IVIV in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a pin used to secure the marking punches in the teeth of the ring gear depicted in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view depicting a condition of poor marking on a steel plate as effected with prior art devices and techniques.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view depicting the uniform clear marking of a steel plate possible with the marking roll of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side view ofa marking punch as embodied in the marking roll of the present invention. showing the curvature of the marking tip end thereof as provided in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the marking roll provided by the present invention showing the embodiment of locking means therein to align and lock the respective ring gears to the center shaft during the marking operation.

FIG. 10 is a transverse view through FIG. 9, the ring gears being locked to the center shaft.

FIG. 1 l is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the marking roll shown in FIG. 10, the locking means being shown in released condition.

FIG. 12 is a schematic view of apparatus for stopping the marking roll at a desired angular position.

FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of a one-position clutch used in the apparatus of the present invention and particularly in the apparatus depicted in FIG. 12, the clutch being shown in released condition.

FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of the clutch shown in FIG. 13 in engaged position.

FIGS. 15a and 15/; are, respectively, views of further constructional features of the one-position clutch.

FIG. 16 is a side view partly in section of the clutch showing the mounting thereof on the rotatable shaft associated with the marking roll.

FIG. 17 is a side view in elevation of the marking roll of the present invention along with the automatic type selecting devices associated therewith.

FIG. 18 is generally similar to FIG. 17 except the apparatus is shown on an enlarged scale.

FIGS. 19 and 20 are, respectively, side elevational and plan views of a further embodiment of the appara tus of the present invention.

FIG. 21 is a side elevational view of type selecting apparatus in accordance with the present invention which is adapted to prevent the apparatus from swinging up and down during the operation thereof in such manner as would cause vibration and consequent damage thereto.

FIG. 22 is a sectional view as taken along the line M-M in FIG. 21.

FIG. 23 is a sectional view taken along the line LL in FIG. 21.

FIGS. 24:: and 2412 are block diagrams of automatic control apparatus used by controlling the operation of the type selecting and marking apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 25 is a block diagram of automatic control apparatus for determining the height of the marking apparatus relative to the material being marked.

FIG. 26 is a side elevational view depicting the manner in which the marking roll of the present invention is operated to effect marking of a moving steel plate.

FIG. 27 is a block diagram showing automatic control apparatus associated with determination of the marking position.

FIG. 28 is a side elevational view showing the manner in which the apparatus in FIG. 27 is used in conjunction with determining the marking distance.

FIG. 29 is an elevational view of the manner in which the marking roll and apparatus of the present invention can be employed in a mill in conjunction with a plate transporter unit and mounting structure for the marking roll to facilitate the marking operation.

FIG. 30 is an elevational view of an enlarged scale of a portion of the apparatus depicted in FIG. 29.

FIG. 31 is a side elevational view of the apparatus depicted in FIGS. 29 and 30.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiment FIG. 1 is a schematic side view for describing the principle of the marking roll of this invention in which the reference numeral 1 is a type-selecting ring, 2 is a marking punch, 3 is a round bar center shaft piercing a plurality of the rings 1, the rings being loose on shaft 3, 4 is a rotatable shaft extended eccentrically and. longitudinally from the opposite ends of center shaft 3, 5 is a bearing of the rotatable shaft 4, the line XX is the axis of the shaft 3, the line Y-Y is the axis of the shaft 4, said line X-X being eccentric to line Y-Y by 8. and 6 is a housing for the bearing 5.

In order to mark the material by the use of the marking roll of the invention, all the typeselecting rings 1 are at first released from engagement with the shaft 3 so that it can rotate freely. Then each ring 1 is rotated so that the desired numbers or figures may be arranged in a desired line of punch indicia. Thereafter all the rings 1 are placed into fixed engagement with the shaft 3. When the location on the plate at which marking is to be effected thereto, approaches the marking position by substantially one-half of the circumference of a circle circumscribing the outermost edge of the rings 1 with the axis Y-Y as the center, the shaft 4 is caused to start and the travelling direction and the velocity of said circle is caused to synchronize with the movement of said material. Since the center shaft 3 is eccentric to the shaft 4, the row of the punches in said upper line comes down as it rotates and said outermost edge of the rings comes into contact with the surface of the material. The row of the punches which projects from the outermost edge enters inside the material to effect marking. Since the surface of the marking punches is then rotating in synchronization with the movement of the material, such surface is not subjected to stress in the direction of the travel of the material, gradually entering into and gradually going out of the material as the punch surface rotates. The pushing force of the marking punches are thus not focused on one instant but rather dispersed over some length of time though short, which makes it possible to use a smaller pushing force with lesser amount of wear of the punches with the letters and the figures marked therewith being uniform and clear.

FIG. 2 is a modification of FIG. 1 wherein a pair of pinch rolls 7 each having a diameter which is 2 8 larger than that of the typeselecting ring 1 are fixed to the shaft 4 so as to grasp a group of the rings 1. Since the diameter of the pinch rolls 7 is 2 8 larger than that of the ring 1 and the axis X'X of the shaft 3 mounting the rings 1 is eccentric by 8 to the axis Y-Y of the shaft 4, the pinch rolls 7 are positioned in the same line with the rings 1 at one intersection with a plane including the driving force upon the shaft 4 as well as elimination of the erroneous actions.

FIG. 3 is an elevational sectional view for explaining the structure of the type-selecting rings in the rollingtype marking roll of this invention, and FIG. 4 is a sectional side view thereof.

The conventional type-selecting ring has on its side a gear for rotation for the purpose of type-selection. Therefore, the marking punches cannot be placed in access to one another, so that the mark obtained is apt to be lengthened as compared with that manually obtained. For example, with the letters of 7 mm X l0 mm, the interval may usually become 40 mm or so. Consequently, the mark has a bad appearance, is difficult to read, occupies a larger soiled area on the material, necessitates a larger marking .roll and requires more power to effect marking.

In this invention, the type-selecting ring itself is shaped as a ring gear so that it has also a function of the conventional gear for rotation, and is provided with holes extending radially in each tooth, in which each marking punch is received.

In this invention, therefore, the intervals between respective adjacent punches can be shortened as is the case with the manual marking, and the direction of the marking punches and the depth of marking can be arranged uniformly. Accordingly, it has many advantages that the mark obtained has good appearance, the spoiled area by marking can be decreased, and the marking machine can be of a smaller size and weight.

When the punches are received through the holes of the ring gear teeth, it has heretofore been a practice to protrude the upper side or the middle part of the marking punch laterally so as to thereby bear the load of the marking surface. As a result, the manufacture of the punches has been made, complicated and difficult. Moreover, the resisting power to the pressure has been insufficient and the punch has sunk at the time of marking, which results in irregular marking on the material. For instance, in case of effecting marking of a number of 20 figures on a steel plate, an allowable range of the punch depth to maintain good appearance is 0.15 mm axes X-X and Y-Y while the pinch rolls 7 are positioned 2 8 outside from the rings 1 at another intersection with said plane.

Accordingly, in case of FIG. 1, it is difficult to eradicate erroneous actions with respect to the driving velocity of the shaft 4 and the presetting of the height of the material even if they are accurately controlled. In case of FIG. 2, however, if the marking roll is only allowed to come down into contact with the surface of the material 8, the pinch rolls 7 can automatically mark the surface of the material 8 while rolling thereon by virtue of the contact friction between the pinch rolls 7 and the material 8, which results in omission of the or less. However, it is impossible in the above conventional method to observe said range.

In this invention, a hole is provided through each tooth of the ring gear in the direction of its diameter, through which hole the marking punch 2 is inserted so that the base end thereof may abut and rest upon the center shaft 3.

In this invention, the body of the punch 2 and the hole through which it is inserted are both straight, which makes the manufacture easy and accurate. Furthermore, the stress caused by marking is fully supported through the entire surface of the base end of the punch by the center shaft 3. Thus it makes it very easy to maintain the punch depth within 0.15 mm so that a very clear mark can be obtained on the material.

In the conventional method, the marking punch is inserted through a hole of the type-selecting ring and thereafter a taper pin, cotter pin or the like is struck into the gap therebetween so as to fix the punch in the hole of the ring. In this old practice, it is difficult to uniformly align the heads of the pins struck below the surface of the punches and maintain the uniform security thereof. It is more difficult to draw out said pins when it is desired to repair or change said pins. Also this practice is undersirable because the marking punch be- 

1. Apparatus for marking indicia on a plate moving along a fixed path which comprises a marking roll including an elongated central shaft having opposed ends, a plurality of toothed rings loosely mounted on said central shaft, the teeth on each of said rings carrying indicia punch means projecting from the outer periphery of said rings, rotatable shaft means fixed to said central shaft and extending longitudinally from the opposite ends of said central shaft, means for supporting said rotatable shaft means for rotation about a fixed axis, means selectively engageable with the teeth on each of said rings for rotating each of said rings upon said central shaft to preset positions to align a selected tooth on each ring with selected ones on the others of said rings and thus present a desired line of punch indicia to be marked on said plate, means for selectively locking said rings and a preset line of punch indicia carried thereby to said central shaft for rotative movement therewith, and a pair of pinch rolls mounted concentrically on said rotatable shaft means for rotation therewith, the diameter of said pinch rolls being greater than that of said rings, the axis of said central shaft being disposed eccentrically of the axis of said fixed axis by a distance equal to one-half of the difference between the diameter of said pinch rolls and said rings whereby when said rings are locked to said central shaft and said rotatable shaft means is rotated only the preset line of punch indicia carried on said rings projects radially beyond the peripheral expanse of said pinch rolls for effecting marking on a plate moving in rolling contact with said pinch rolls, the means for locking said rings to said central shaft comprising a locking member received in a groove in the outer surface of said central shaft, the inner circumferential surface of each of said rings being provided with notches, said locking member and said groove being provided with companion oblique surfaces, sliding of said member longitudinally of said groove in one direction being operative to urge at least a part of said locking member into locking engagement with the notches in each of said rings, sliding of said locking member in an opposite direction being effective to retract said locking member wholly within said groove.
 2. Apparatus for marking indicia on a plate moving along a fixed path which comprises a marking roll including an elongated central shaft having opposed ends, a plurality of toothed rings loosely mounted on said central shaft, the teeth on each of said rings carrying indicia punch means projecting from the outer periphery of said rings, rotatable shaft means fixed to said central shaft and extending longitudinally from the opposite ends of said central shaft, means for supporting said rotatable shaft means for rotation about a fixed axis, means selectively engageable with the teeth on each of said rings for rotating each of said rings upon said central shaft to preset positions to align a selected tooth on each ring with selected ones on the others of said rings and thus present a desired line of punch indicia to be marked on said plate, means for selectively locking said rings and a preset line of punch indicia carried thereby to said central shaft for rotative movement therewith, and a pair of pinch rolls mounted concentrically on said rotatable shaft means for rotation therewith, the diameter of said pinch rolls being greater than that of said rings, the axis of said central shaft being disposed eccentrically of the axis of said fixed axis by a distance equal to one-half of the difference between the diameter of said pinch rolls and said rings whereby when said rings are locked to said central shaft and said rotatable shaft means is rotated only the preset line of punch indicia carried on said rings projects radially beyond the peripheral expanse of said pinch rolls for effecting marking on a plate moving in rolling contact with said pinch rolls, the teeth on each of said rings being provided with a radial passage, tHere being a marking punch received in said passage, a tip end of said punch being disposed at the outer periphery of the associated tooth, said tip end carrying an arcuate marking surface, the radius of said marking surface being smaller than that of a circle circumscribed by the peripheries of the teeth on said ring, there being a pin passing axially through each tooth and the punch received therein to secure such punch to its associated tooth, said apparatus further comprising a device for stopping the marking roll including a primary one-position clutch idly mounted on said rotatable shaft means and having the teeth of a worm wheel on the outer circumferential surface thereof, a secondary one-position clutch slidably carried on said rotatable shaft means, a worm meshing with said worm wheel for rotatably positioning said one-position clutch a desired angle of rotation of the same and for thereafter holding said clutch locked in said rotated position, brake means to control the rotation of said rotatable shaft means, control means for opening and closing circuitry operating the primary one-position clutch means and brake means, respectively, and means for directing operation of said control means.
 3. Apparatus for marking indicia on a plate moving along a fixed path which comprises a marking roll including an elongated central shaft having opposed ends, a plurality of toothed rings loosely mounted on said central shaft, the teeth on each of said rings carrying indicia punch means projecting from the outer periphery of said rings, rotatable shaft means fixed to said central shaft and extending longitudinally from the opposite ends of said central shaft, means for supporting said rotatable shaft means for rotation about a fixed axis, means selectively engageable with the teeth on each of said rings for rotating each of said rings upon said central shaft to preset positions to align a selected tooth on each ring with selected ones on the others of said rings and thus present a desired line of punch indicia to be marked on said plate, means for selectively locking said rings and a preset line of punch indicia carried thereby to said central shaft for rotative movement therewith, and a pair of pinch rolls mounted concentrically on said rotatable shaft means for rotation therewith, the diameter of said pinch rolls being greater than that of said rings, the axis of said central shaft being disposed eccentrically of the axis of said fixed axis by a distance equal to one-half of the difference between the diameter of said pinch rolls and said rings whereby when said rings are locked to said central shaft and said rotatable shaft means is rotated only the preset line of punch indicia carried on said rings projects radially beyond the peripheral expanse of said pinch rolls for effecting marking on a plate moving in rolling contact with said pinch rolls, the means for rotating each of said rings upon said central shaft comprising a corresponding plurality of rack bars associated one with each of said rings, means for guiding and supporting the rack bars for sliding travel, movement means to slide said rack bars, said movement means including a plurality of fluid cylinders connected in series, the cylinders being operative to extend or retract the piston rods thereof upon direction from a control unit to move the respective rack bars connected to the piston rod ends for a desired distance, means for moving the rack bars into and out of mesh with the teeth on said rings, said rack bars having teeth corresponding in number to those on the ring gears, automatic control means for directing the operation of said movement means to arrange said rack bars in a desired position suitable for the next rotation of said rings preliminary to marking and give said movement means direction to obtain a desired ring positioning by combination of cylinders having different strokes when the teeth of the rings mesh with the racks after marking is completed, the plurality of Cylinders being arranged at both sides of a beam standing on the upper surface of a strand such that they are staggered by half the plane width, the row of rack bars meshing with the row of said ring gears being mounted on guide rollers and supported by an arm, the ends of the piston rods of each cylinder and the ends of the rack bars being connected by connecting means passing through the stand, a plurality of dovetail grooves being provided on the stand common for said cylinders and said rack bars, protrusions being provided on each side of said connecting means, and each said protrusion being receivable in a dovetail groove.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a preset memory unit for making the present preset value A for marking character from the next preset value C for marking character and storing the same with the preceding preset value B for marking character, a comparing arithmetic circuit which compares the present preset value A for marking character with the preceding preset value B so as to calculate (a) the value by which a ring should be rotated clock-wise or counter-clockwise within the range less than half of the number of the teeth and (b) the direction in which the associated rack bar should be moved and reset by the distance corresponding to half of the number of the teeth of the ring gear and stores the same, an output circuit to convert the calculated values into the normal figures and amplify the same for driving, driving means to open an instructed electromagnetic valve to operate an associated cylinder so that the rack bar may be moved to right or left by the distance as instructed, and means for detecting any erroneous operation which compares the amount of movement of the rack bar sent from means for detecting the amount of the movement of the rack bar with the instruction figures sent from the comparing arithmetic circuit.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which said marking roll is supported for vertical upward and downward movement relative to the fixed travel path of said plate, said apparatus further comprising device for adjusting the height of the marking roll relative to said travel path, said device comprising means to detect the present height of the position of the marking roll, means to convert said height into signals, means to preset the thickness of the material plate to be marked, means to convert said thickness to a signal, means to compare and calculate said two signals received as input and thereby give the instruction signal for velocity to the motor depending upon the deviation of the distance between the present position and the next position of the marking roll so that said roll may move to the next position, said motor being operated to raise and lower said marking roll, a control panel to control the motor velocity, and means for supplying power to said motor.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising an automatic control for the marking position of the marking roll which comprises means to generate a signal when one of the front end and tail end of the plate to be marked has passed a point upstream of the marking position by a preset distance, means to generate a pulse for each predetermined length of the circumference of the table roll as it rotates, control means to (a) store the value obtained by subtracting a length from the sum of said preset distance and the distance between the end of the material and the desired marking position, said length being a distance by which the material moves during the time required for the marking roll to rotate by half the circumference thereof from the start, and (b) calculate the number of said pulses from the time when said signal is received to thereby give instructions about start of the marking roll at each said calculation, and a fluid cylinder operable responsive to said instructions so as to push the marking roll to the surface of the material to be marked. 